Dinkelsbühl!
Have you been there?
You will find it along the Romantische Strasse (Romantic Street)
which begins in Würzburg Germany and ends in Füssen, at the foot of the Alps.
However, before you visit Dinkelsbühl
You first must visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
The small town that made Rick Stevens famous
or
is it the other way around?
If you're visiting during the Christkindel Markt you will be sandwiched between folks from all over the world. You will move as one, with the masses.
Drinking a cup of very hot Glühwein requires a spot away from the maddening crowd.
When you live in the quiet country, as we do, being jostled by thousands requires a nearby oasis.
Herrnschlösschen
And it is in Rothenburg ob der Tauber where we found it!
In all of our more than forty trips to Europe no other hotel compares to this fine hotel, the Herrnschlösschen
It is the perfect hotel. It is a small boutique hotel with only a dozen beautifully appointed rooms. You will find a most helpful and accommodating staff and to top it all off, it also has a very fine kitchen. No request was overlooked and was attended to immediately.
Heading south along the romantic road you will drive through many picturesque small villages.
The Romantic Street is a smaller motorway, where impromptu side trips are possible.
Every opportunity is utilized to place just one more Christmas tree.
Near Füssen, the gateway to Neuschwanstein and the Wieskirche, is the small town of Reutte.
Only a few hours drive to my beloved Italy.
Have a wonderful remainder of the week.
Gina
And it is in Rothenburg ob der Tauber where we found it!
In all of our more than forty trips to Europe no other hotel compares to this fine hotel, the Herrnschlösschen
It is the perfect hotel. It is a small boutique hotel with only a dozen beautifully appointed rooms. You will find a most helpful and accommodating staff and to top it all off, it also has a very fine kitchen. No request was overlooked and was attended to immediately.
Have a wonderful remainder of the week.
Gina
I had heard of Neuschwanstein and of the Romantic route in Germany but I had no clue what villages there were to discover there. Such prettiness! Thanks for sharing! I really enjoyed your post. Pretty even in wintertime, maybe even just in wintertime, imagine everything snowcovered....
ReplyDeleteMarian
Hello Marian, Not only are there numerous and charming villages along the way but the countryside on either side of the Romantic Strasse is especially beautiful. One could spend weeks in the area and never get bored. .
DeleteDear Gina,
ReplyDeleteA most beautiful town. Indeed very romantic.
The hotel, looks and sounds fantastic.
A far cry from USA
The town and area remind me of Switzerland, where my daughter lives.
I enjoy visiting the little outlying towns. Ever so beautiful.
Enjoy your time in Italy.
val x x x
Dear Val, The fabulous Herrnschlösschen Hotel is one in a million. When you visit your daughter in Switzerland maybe you can take a little side trip and travel parts of the Romantic Street. It is a wonderful experience.
DeleteDear Gina - I loved this stroll with you down the beautiful Romantic Road accompanied by a cup of hot Glühwein and a slice of that delicious looking bread. The frescoed German house paintings are glorious, what a feast for the eye that last one is. Did you get to Neuschwanstein? I have visited the castle there but many years ago.
ReplyDeleteNext stop Italy?
Dear Rosemary, We didn't go to the Neuschwanstein Castle on this trip. I remember it being a bit of a gloomy place when we visited a few years ago but was so enthralled with the beauty and setting of the Wieskirche, a lovely baroque church nearby.
DeleteWe did go to Italy but it was in late December.
Anticipation.............For me, waiting for your post on traveling in Germany is just like waiting for one of your hand painted ceramics to arrive.
ReplyDeleteYou never disappoint, dear Gina. Such beautifully painted houses so well presented with just a few words.It makes me want to explore
Die Romantische Strasse during my next visit in the summer. Thank you for sharing your experience and the fine photo of Mr. G. so generously.
Warm greetings, Sieglinde
Dear Sieglinde, I am working diligently on your new plates. It is still dark outside and snow is falling. That means that I will be inside, happily painting your plates and thinking about the new design for your bowls.
DeleteYou will be very close to the Romantic Street when you visit your ancestral home. Hope you will take lots of pictures so that all of us can follow along.
Dear Gina,
ReplyDeleteYou have whet my appetite to go on a trip. I like all those fresh colors, unified by the same roof color, and I especially like that Old World style of signage, with wrought iron and gilding. My favorite building has to be the one with the pediment painted with the carriage scene — delightful!
Dear Mark, Now, I know that you have never been to Switzerland, the home of your maternal grandmother. Maybe this will be the year. Europe has never looked better. People are happy and they are happy to see you. And if your German is a bit rusty, no worries, even small children speak excellent English.
DeleteThe carriage scene is charming, I agree. I imagined it to be a highway robbery scene but he would be robber changed his mind when he saw the beautiful lady and kissed her hand instead.
Oh Gina, you make it look so beautiful there.........I hope to take the Romantic Street one of these days. Your hubby (that is Mr. G isn't t?) looks fabulous, so elegantly attired and yet totally comfy for sightseeing and partaking of the local goodies. Those loaves of crunchy bread are enough to get me packing!!! I can imagine the excellent service in that lovely hotel - I love staying in places that are small and cozy.
ReplyDeleteAll just so perfect.............thank you so much for sharing your trip pics with us.
Hugs - Mary
Dear Mary, Yes, that is Mr G. It was very cold that day and the Glüwein was very welcoming and potent. I was told that the bread in that particular bakery is the best anywhere. Now i wish that I had tried it. However, we were so well taken care of at our lovely hotel that there was no room for anything else.
DeleteThe Romantic Street is a jewel. One could spend many weeks wandering from one village to another with one more beautiful than the next. I would go in late Summer and always have a picnic basket in the ready.
Gina, what a terrific post about Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We took the "dream trip" in time to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau! Our first stop after landing was in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We happened upon wonderful people while there. Musicians, shopkeepers, and even stepped inside a fabric shop and immediately saw a fabric I had to have. I loved the fall colors in it and had no clue who would make it into a table runner. Just as I was about to talk myself out of getting it, I noticed the 2 ladies behind the counter were sewing. I asked if they would make a table runner and ship to the United States. They asked if I could come back in about 30 minutes...to pick up the runner they would make. The service was unbelievable, beautifully sewn, pressed and exactly as I requested. I've posted about that town more than once. Loved the dolls. Thanks for reminding me of our 3 weeks touring by car...1,500 miles. Lovely memories! Helen
ReplyDeleteHello Helen, You know how to travel! 1500 miles in 3 weeks by car is my idea of travel. We have made those kind of trips many times. There is something about traveling by car that makes a trip so very special. Trains are great but do not give you the same freedom for exploration. I loved your story about the table runner. Thank you for your visit and comment.
DeleteA beautiful post of the countryside and villages. Just loved seeing all of it. It looks like a wonderful, romantic getaway to me!
ReplyDeleteBlessings My Friend,
Hello Adyelaine, I wish that everyone could take such a wonderful trip. We loved that Christmas was being celebrated in the old fashioned way. Thank you for leaving a comment and also thank you for your visit.
DeleteGosh, Gina...this is so cool! Since I'm not a traveler, it's great to be able to see the world through others' eyes. These are some really neat photos. I love the one of the bread rounds in the window.
ReplyDeleteThe buildings are all so colorful! Nothing like the drab downtown areas I'm accustomed to seeing. And those are The Alps in that one photo? Wow!!! Beautiful photos!!!
Hello Alycia, Actually, the photo with the mountains is my home, here in central Utah. I was using it as a comparison to show how different Rothenburg is with its houses so close to each other.
DeleteThank you for your lovely compliment. And thank you also for your visit.
oh my gosh, I want to be there right now! it looks enchanting.
ReplyDeleteHello Cornercape, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a charming town even if it is crowded with thousands of tourists every day. Usually not my cup of tea but in this case it was a lot of fun. Everyone was in the holiday spirit.
DeleteGina, these photographs are splendid and definitely feed my wanderlust. I am thinking that it might be a good idea to take a "perpetual" calendar that I might use to remember friends and family members' birthdays, and add to those pages some notes about places to visit at a particular time fo the year.
ReplyDeletePlease help me inaugurate this notion. Did the Christmas fair take place in November? When do you recommend visiting some of the incredible Italian locations you've shared with us?
xo
Dear Frances, If you would love to experience an old fashioned Christmas then I say go to Austria, Germany and northern Italy right after the first Sunday in November (the first Advent). The Christkindlemarkts will be open until December 23rd.
DeleteFor the rest of Italy I would go early in the Spring, say April or May and/or during the wine harvest in late September or early October.
What is important is that you go. Italy is fabulous any time of the year. I like a website called "Slow Travel" because travel accounts are written by travelers not tour companies. And besides some of the "trip reports" make excellent Winter reading. .
Thank you so much for your reply, Gina.
DeleteMy only visit to Italy was way back in the last century...late April and early May. I guess that any time of the year has its charms in beautiful Italy.
If and when I get my wanderlust attuned to a time of the year and my travel budget, I will be returning to you for more information.
xo
Dear Frances, I'm ready to help whenever you are making plans.
DeleteHi Gina, what beautiful images that delight my early morning with great brilliance...really, really pretty~
ReplyDeleteHello Mary, I was thinking of you while in Rothenburg...you would be looking for storks on top of the chimneys. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
DeleteYes, I have fond memories (2007 or 2001?) of both Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Dinkelsbühl and a couple of other smaller villages from that area with all of their many-colored detailed paintings on the buildings, carved balconies and too many prizes to bring home so photos had to do! I for one, never tire from the beauty of old buildings, smiles from the villagers and new places to explore! Bavaria, Switzerland, Italy, Provence - I could wander in those regions for years (!). How nice you had Mr. G. at your side with his devil-may-care smile under that charming chapeau! Time to go schedule a trip, now that I may have my own Mr. ? to accompany me !!!
ReplyDeleteHello Mary, I do hope that you will plan a trip to central Europe this year and with your own devil-may-care Mr ?. It takes two when traveling by car, one to drive and one to navigate. Of course, GPS driving has made it so easy to seek out the little unknown corners and also make your own discoveries.
DeleteOh my goodness! What an amazing trip. Please do share it on Friday with my "Oh, the PLACES I've been!" link party.
ReplyDelete- The Tablescaper
Hello Tablescaper, thank you for the invite and thank you also for your kind comment.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading this post. I have indeed been to both Rothenburg and Dinkelsbuhl. Both are lovely towns but I think I like Rothenburg best because there is so much to see and do, both in summer and in winter.
Bye for now
Kirk
Hello Kirk, You have written a wonderful post about Rothenburg. In fact, I remember reading your post before we left for our holiday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit and comment. It is very much appreciated.
Hello dear Gina,
ReplyDeleteHow could I have missed this post ? This is all so beautiful and charming ! I once went to Salzburg in Christmas time but this little town beats it all...especially around that time of year...And your hubby looks fab :-)
xo Lala
Dear Lala, We also stopped in at Salzburg on this trip and it still is one of the most beautiful places at Christmas time. Mr G will be so pleased with your comment. No doubt it will go right to his head. Wishing you great success this weekend. Your chocolate treasures look delicious and I know that they are delicious. ox, Gina
DeleteGreat to have you at "Oh, the PLACES I've been!"
ReplyDelete- The Tablescaper
Thank you for the invite and thank you for hosting.
DeleteThis makes me slightly "homesick"! Thank you for these wonderful pictures!
ReplyDeleteAnd Gene is locking so good!
xxxkarin
Dear Karin, Dinkelsbühl was a pleasant surprised and even more so, Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Especially at Christmastime it was the perfect place to celebrate the holidays.
DeleteI will have to show Mr G this message.